loosen up phrasal verb (
see also loosen)
1. to stop worrying and become more relaxed, or to make someone do this:
She loosened up after she’d had a drink.loosen somebody ↔ up His welcoming smile helped loosen her up.2. if your muscles loosen up, or if something loosens them up, they stop feeling stiff
loosen something ↔ up A massage will loosen up your joints. [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲
relax to rest or do something that is enjoyable after you have been working:
In the evenings, I like to relax with some music and a nice meal. In two weeks’ time I’ll be relaxing on a beach in Greece.rest to stop working or stop being active, and sit down or lie down so that you become less tired:
If you’re tired, we’ll stop and rest for a while. The doctor told me to take some time off work and try to rest.unwind to gradually relax after you have been working hard or feeling anxious:
It had been a bad day and he just wanted to get home and unwind. Set in spectacular countryside, the Shiga Hotel is the perfect place to unwind.take it/things easy to relax and not do very much, especially after working very hard or being ill:
Now that you’ve finished your exams, you can take it easy. The doctor said he’ll have to take things easy for while.put your feet up informal to rest for a short time after a tiring activity, especially by sitting with your feet resting on something:
Kate poured herself a drink and put her feet up. When you’re pregnant and doing a full-time job, you must find time to put your feet up.chill out/chill informal to relax completely, or stop worrying and getting annoyed about things - used mainly by young people:
We spent the day chilling out by the pool. Hey dude, chill out! It’s only a car! It’s a great place to chill out. Let’s go back to my place and chill. loosen up informal to become more relaxed and stop worrying about things:
I keep telling Mum that she needs to loosen up a bit. Tom had had a few drinks and was beginning to loosen up.put somebody at ease/make somebody feel at ease to make someone feel relaxed, especially in a situation in which they might feel a little nervous:
A good interviewer will try to make you feel at ease. His friendly manner always puts people at their ease. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲